Building the Church of Tomorrow
FROM THE POPE TO USSince the GIFT campaign was launched, Catholic Foundation has received many heart-warming responses. One of these is a sharing by Theresa Goh, chairperson of M3 (Magdalene Mission Myanmar), a Catholic group that works closely with the Canossian Daughters of Charity to elevate the level of education of poor women and children in Myanmar.
Pope Francis blesses a child. Photo: Catholic Online
I first heard of the Giving in Faith & Thankfulness (GIFT) campaign in Dec 2016 through a video shared on my phone. It paraphrased the needs of the Archdiocese of Singapore in the forms of prayers by ordinary Catholics and sought financial support to the Catholic Foundation.
For many, such a direct call from the archbishop would be a test of their sense of belonging to the archdiocese. My first thought, however, was on how the numerous fundraising initiatives that were on going in the archdiocese would be competing for donors.
I justified to myself that I am already serving the Church in other ways, such as leading a humanitarian cause with M3, heading a cell group, attending a theological certificate programme and active involvement with several non-profit organisations.
A continuing financial pledge was something I was not used to, but a healthy challenge I needed in my journey with God.
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Church of Transfiguration completed
The newly completed Church of the Transfiguration in Punggol Central. The church is expected to hold its first Mass on Maundy Thursday.
Catholics passing through Punggol Central nowadays will be thrilled to see the newly completed five-storey structure of the latest Catholic Church in Singapore – the Church of the Transfiguration (COTT).
Commencing construction on Feb 13, 2015, it took just two years to complete the structural works which includes two basement levels. The Church is now at the stage of obtaining the Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) and arranging the fitting-up works such as the installation of the liturgical items, pews and loose furniture.
“The main contractor did a marvellous job of managing the tight timelines while contending with many constraints within the environmental requirements,” said parish priest Fr Joachim Chang. “Assuming we obtain the TOP soon, we will be on schedule to celebrate our first Mass on Maundy Thursday, 13 April 2017.”
Archbishop to Religious: Be the light of Christ to the world
Religious praying during the World Day for Consecrated Life Mass on Feb 2.
The Church can never do without Religious, said Archbishop William Goh.
Whether it is in the field of social outreach, education or serving the elderly and less fortunate, Religious are called to be “the light of Christ to the world,” he said at the World Day for Consecrated Life Mass on Feb 2.
Archbishop Goh was speaking to about 400 people – made up of Religious and laypeople – at the Church of Sts Peter and Paul.The Mass was held on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.
famfare!
How a Brush with Death Anchored their MarriageJulian Tan and his wife, Eunice, were on a high after attending the Marriage Encounter (ME) Weekend in March 2011. The retreat offers tools and concepts to enhance intimate communication between couples and recharge their marriage. Then came a bolt from the blue that nearly tore them apart. Ahead of World Marriage Day on Feb 12, Julian and Eunice, who have been married for 13 years, recount their harrowing experience and reflect on how it has made them treasure each other even more.
Julian and Eunice with their children – Gabriel, Emily (front row), Dominic and Joshua (back row).
Eunice: Our lives turned topsy-turvy on Friday the 13th in May 2011.
I’d barely slept the night before due to excruciating abdominal pains, and thought I had severe food poisoning. I was told later that Julian and Joshua, our firstborn, found me lying on the floor between our bed and the bathroom. I lost consciousness each time Julian and my father tried getting me to stand up. Eventually, they had to call for an ambulance.
The doctors discovered that I was pregnant and suspected an ectopic pregnancy, as they could find nothing in my womb. I had to be operated on immediately as I was bleeding profusely internally. It turned out I was suffering from a rare case of ovarian ectopic pregnancy, where the zygote was implanted in my right ovary instead of in the fallopian tube. The surgeon told us later he was “shocked to see the right ovary spraying blood”.